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Ref Review: Salah denied 33rd Liverpool goal; King Power shocker

How Jamaal Lascelles managed to stay on the field at Anfield is a mystery. Arsenal penalty appeal rightfully waved away and Sead Kolasinac is in the spotlight in Ref Review.

Refereeing decisions are regularly the source of debate among fans, pundits, players and managers so this season a five-strong TEAMtalk panel will be passing judgement on every red card (or avoidance of one), every penalty and any other major incident every matchday.

We’ll also decide on a weekly basis which side can consider themselves lucky and which was the easiest decision for a match official to make.

Ashley Williams red card v Burnley

It was an off day for Ashley Williams all told. At fault for Burnley’s second goal and off the pace for much of the game at Turf Moor, he then lashed out at Ashley Barnes with his elbow with less than five minutes to play with the Toffees chasing the game. Straight red. No hesitation from the ref, no complaints from Williams.

Verdict:Correct decision

Mame Biram Diouf possible red card v Southampton

Diouf didn’t even make it to half-time after dislocating his shoulder but could have gone off earlier had the ref seen what looked like a deliberate stamp on the foot of Saints defender Wesley Hoedt. Anthony Taylor didn’t see it and the Senegalese forward was very lucky that no action was taken.

Verdict:Incorrect decision

Bournemouth penalty appeal v Leicester City

We’ve played it back numerous times and are still puzzled how Bournemouth didn’t get a penalty from Wilfred Ndidi’s blatant two-handed push on Charlie Daniels. It was as clear as day and looked a stonewall penalty.

Verdict: Incorrect decision

Jamaal Lascelles challenge on Mohamed Salah

OK it was 2-0 and therefore somewhat academic in terms of the result but we still feel this was poor officiating. Mo Salah burst clear late on and looked to be going one on one with the ‘keeper before being taken down from behind by Jamaal Lascelles in front of the Kop. Incredibly, ref Graham Scott after looking to his assistant, waved play on, a decision that incensed Jurgen Klopp on the touchline who simply could not get his head around the call. It may have been just outside the box, but Lascelles denied Salah a clear goalscoring opportunity and with the form he is in it would surely have bee his 33rd of the season. Lascelles should have seen red.

Penalty shout for the Gunners in the second half against Brighton as Granit Xhaka ghosted into the box and Dale Stephens then took a wild swipe at the ball. Xhaka went down but nothing doing according to the officials. Replays showed that Stephens made no contact, though more through luck than design. Should Xhaka have been booked for diving?

Verdict:Correct decision

Saed Kolasinac challenge on Ezequiel Schelotto

Arsenal were a shambles at the Amex and with the game delicately poised at 2-1 could have been reduced to 10 men after a very hefty collision between Sead Kolasinac and Ezequiel Schelotto. Kolasinac, already on a booking at the time, seemed to catch Schelotto with his shoulder and wiped him out. The Brighton man was unable to continue after picking up a head injury but after a lengthy delay ref Stuart Attwell ruled, correctly, that the clash was accidental.

Verdict:Correct decision

Dale Stephens yellow card v Arsenal

Stuart Atwell had a tidy game but threw in a shocker here in booking Dale Stephens for a challenge that wasn’t even a foul. The Brighton man produced a near perfect tackle on Jack Wilshere but Attwell somehow saw it as a foul and a booking. A strong candidate this for most absurd yellow of the season.

Verdict:Incorrect decision

Oleksandr Zichenko yellow card v Chelsea

Very late challenge by Oleksandr Zinchenko as he slid straight through Victor Moses. The City defender was out of control. Yellow card, and on another day it could have been worse for the City player.

Verdict:Correct decision

Team most likely to feel brassed off award

Bournemouth

The Cherries will have been gutted to concede a leveller in the seventh minute of injury-time at the King Power but also livid they were not awarded a second spot-kick, when 1-0 in front, following a blatant push by Ndidi on Daniels.

Stonewall decision of the week

Williams red card

The Everton skipper gave ref Chris Kavanagh no choice. He brainlessly swung his arm out and caught the Burnley striker square in the face. A three game ban is now expected, with some irate Toffees fans on Twitter asking if the club could appeal the ban and perhaps get it extended to the end of the season? Ouch.